IT MUST BE SUMMER THE WAY PEOPLE ARE DROWNING

Jamie Mortara

when you are born in this valley they teach youthere are dogs we trainto rescue the livingand there are dogs we trainto dig up the deadwhen you are from herewellyou just need to Try Harderwhen you are one of uswellYou Need To Share Your FeelingsbutwellOnly If We Like Themthere's always another ropeswing down by the river hangingsomewhereover the waterback homeyour fatherhe would blame every single doe in the damn neighborhoodfor every new tomatothe rabbits surely stoleso i don't thinki need to see no casketthank you very muchwhen you live herelike usyou can picture the plywood boxin your headjust finethank youi saw enough limbs and organsfloating in jars at the museumsaw all the bodiesthey kept away from the lightkept from becoming a pieceof the planetagainwhen you are one of usthis sort of thing is such a strangeand necessaryhurthaven't we all stared into the night enough?do we bottle it because we want to understand itor do we like being hideous?you don't leave the knife inbefore you eat it now do you?death is phantom trainthat will not stop for no oneto embalm thisis to press pause on a hurtyou can't bear to let endsoit doesn'tsoit won't everso this is a flowerthat i grew in the backyardit's called Surrenderthis is why there are too many deer cadaversscattered around townfor it to be Coincidencei don't knowi just don'twhen you are at the throatof this placefor this long lovei can't help but thinkfor some invisible reasonyeahi'm always dyingsureit's just thatthis valleywon't ever let mefinish